Cooking Time

As with conventional cooking, cooking with Instant Pot is full of personal choices,
creativity, a lot of science and experimentation. No two individuals have exactly the
same tastes, preferences of tenderness and texture of food. The ‘Cooking Time Tables’
are for your reference only. We encourage you to experiment to find the settings for
the best results for your own preferences.

There are other factors that may affect the cooking time. Different cuts of meat and
different types of rice, for example, may require different cooking time to yield the
same tenderness or texture.

The following pressure ‘Cooking Time Tables’ provides a general guideline on the
length of pressure-cooking time for various food.

• Dry Beans, Legume and Lentils

• Meat (Poultry, Beef, Pork and Lamb)
• Seafood and Fish
• Rice and Grains
• Fresh or Frozen Vegetable
• Fruits

When cooking frozen food, there is no need to defrost the food in the microwave prior
to preparing. However, frozen food will prolong the pre-heating time and cooking time
depending on the amount of food. To ensure to have your meal ready on time it is
important to plan accordingly.

The times indicated within the ‘Cooking Time Tables’ are based on the cooking
pressure within the range of 10.15 – 11.6 psi.

Seafood & Fish

The cooking time for seafood is typically short. The best result is achieved with the
original juice being retained in the food. Steaming is the ideal cooking method;
however stewing the food will also produce great results.

When steaming seafood, you will need at least 1 cup (250 mL) of water, and an
ovenproof or steel bowl on a steam rack. When seafood or fish is over-cooked, the
texture becomes tough, to avoid this, you should control the cooking time. Normally,
you’ll need to use the steam release handle to release the pressure and stop cooking as
soon as the programmed cooking period is over. An alternative is to take the natural
cooking time (7-10 minutes) into consideration.
FRESH FROZEN
Seafood & Fish Cooking Time Cooking Time
(minutes) (minutes)
Crab, whole 2-3 4-5
Fish, whole 4-5 5-7
Fish, fillet 2-3 3-4
Fish, steak 3-4 4-6
Lobster 3-4 4-6
Mussels 2-3 n/a
Seafood soup or stock 7-8 8-9
Shrimp or Prawn 1-3 2-4

Rice & Grains

If you would like to cook some specialty rice or grains, please use the following grain :
water ratio.

The Rice Measuring Cup (180 mL) provided with your Instant Pot can be used to
measure the required grain to water ratios. One cup of grain yields approximately one
adult serving.

Water
Rice & Grains Quantity Ratio Cooking Time
(grain : water)
Barley, pearl 1 : 2.5 20 - 22
Barley, pot 1:3-1:4 25 - 30
Congee, thick 1:4-1:5 15 - 20
Congee, thin 1:6-1:7 15 - 20
Couscous 1:2 2-3
Corn, dried / halved 1:3 5-6
Kamut, whole 1:2 10 - 12
Millet 1 : 1.75 10 - 12
Oats, quick cooking 1 : 1.5 2-3
Oats, steel-cut 2 : 2.5 3-5
Porridge, thin 1:2 10 - 15
Quinoa, quick cooking 1 : 1.25 1
Rice, Basmati 1:1 4
Rice, Brown 1:1 22 - 25
Rice, Jasmine 1:1 4
Rice, white 1:1 4
Rice, wild 1:1 20 - 25
Sorghum 1:3 20 - 25
Spelt berries (unsoaked) 1 : 1.5 25 - 30
Wheat berries (unsoaked) 1:3 20 - 25
Dried Beans, Legumes & Lentils

There are a few things to be aware of when cooking dried beans and legumes:

• Dried beans double in volume and weight after soaking or cooking. To avoid
overflow, please do not fill the inner pot more than to the ½ mark to allow for
expansion.
• When cooking dried beans use sufficient liquid to cover the beans.
• Although not necessary, soaking the dried beans can speed up cooking
significantly. Immerse the beans in 4 times their volume of water for 4-6 hours.

Beans and legumes are less likely to be over-cooked, but if they are undercooked the
texture is unpleasant. Please consider the cooking time as a minimal time.

DRY SOAKED
Dried Beans, Legumes, and Lentils Cooking Time Cooking Time
(minutes) (minutes)
Adzuki / Azuki / Aduki 16 - 20 4-6
Anasazi 20 - 25 5-7
Black beans 20 - 25 6-8
Black-eyed peas 10 - 15 4-5
Chickpeas (chickpeas, garbanzo bean, or kabuli) 35 - 40 10 - 15
Cannellini beans 30 - 35 8 - 10
Great Northern beans 25 - 30 8 - 10
Kidney beans, red 25 - 30 8 - 10
Kidney beans, white / Cannellini 30 - 35 8 - 10
Lentils, green 10 - 12 n/a
Lentils, brown 10 - 12 n/a
Lentils, red, split 5-6 n/a
Lentils, yellow, split (moong dal) 18 - 20 n/a
Lima beans 12 - 14 8 - 10
Navy beans 20 - 25 7-8
Pinto beans 25 - 30 8 - 10
Peas 6 - 10 n/a
Scarlet runner 20 - 25 8 - 10
Soy beans 35 - 45 18 - 20

Meat (Beef, Pork, Poultry, Lamb)

There are a few things to be aware of when cooking meat:

• Raw meat is perishable and should not be left at room temperature for more
than 2 hours (or 1 hour if room temperature is above 32°C / 90°F). When using
the [Delay Start] program, do not set time for more than 1-2 hours. We
 recommend to pre-cook meat and select [Keep Warm] or [Warm] program to
maintain the food at the correct serving temperature.
• Do not try to thicken the sauce before cooking. Corn starch, flour or arrow-root
may deposit on the bottom of the inner pot and block heat dissipation. As a
result, the pressure cooker may overheat.

You may want to brown/sear the meat by selecting the [Sauté] program to seal the
juices before pressure-cooking.

Cooking Time
Meat (minutes)
Beef, stew meat 20 / 450 gm / 1 lb
Beef, meat ball 8 - 10 / 450 gm / 1 lb
Beef, dressed 20 / 450 gm / 1 lb
Beef (pot roast, steak, rump, round, chuck, blade or
brisket) 15 / 450 gm / 1 lb
Small Chunks
Beef (pot roast, steak, rump, round, chuck, blade or
brisket) 20 / 450 gm / 1 lb
Large Chuncks
Beef, ribs 20 - 25
Beef, shanks 25 - 30
Beef, oxtail 40 - 50
Chicken, breasts (boneless) 6-8
Chicken, whole 2-2.5 Kg 8 / 450 gm / 1 lb
Chicken, cut with bones 10 - 15
Chicken, bone stock 40 - 45
Duck, portions with bones 12 - 15
Duck, whole 10 / 450 gm / 1 lb
Ham, slices 9 - 12
Ham, picnic shoulder 8 / 450 gm / 1 lb
Lamb, cubes 10 - 15
Lamb, stew meat 12 - 15
Lamb, leg 15 / 450 gm / 1 lb
Pheasant 8 / 450 gm / 1 lb
Pork, loin roast 20 / 450 gm / 1 lb
Pork, butt roast 15 / 450 gm / 1 lb
Pork, ribs 15 - 20
Turkey, breast (boneless) 7-9
Turkey, breast (whole) 20 - 25
Turkey, drumsticks (leg) 15 - 20
Veal, chops 5-8
Veal, roast 12 / 450 gm / 1 lb
Quail, whole 8 / 450 gm / 1 lb
Vegetables

When steaming vegetables, you will require 1 cup (250 mL) of water and an ovenproof
or steel bowl on a steam rack.

Cooking vegetables, fresh or frozen, we recommend using the [Steam] to preserve

vitamins and minerals to the maximum. Steaming also retains the natural look of the
vegetables.

FRESH FROZEN
Vegetables Cooking Time Cooking Time
(minutes) (minutes)
Artichoke, whole & trimmed 9 - 11 11 - 13
Artichoke, hearts 4-5 5-6
Asparagus, whole or cut 1-2 2-3
Beans, green, yellow or wax, whole, trim ends and strings 1-2 2-3
Beetroot, small / whole 11 - 13 13 - 15
Beetroot, large / whole 20 - 25 25 - 30
Broccoli, florets 1-2 2-3
Broccoli, stalks 3-4 4-5
Brussel sprouts, whole 2-3 3-4
Cabbage, red, purple or green, shredded 2-3 3-4
Cabbage, red, purple or green, wedges 3-4 4-5
Carrots, sliced or shredded 2-3 3-4
Carrots, whole or chunked 6-8 7-9
Cauliflower florets 2-3 3-4
Celery, chunks 2-3 3-4
Coliard Greens 4-5 5-6
Corn (kernels) 1-2 2-3
Corn (on the cob) 3-5 4-6
Eggplant (slices or chunks) 3-4 3-4
Endive 1-2 2-3
Escarole (chopped) 2-3 3-4
Green beans (whole) 2-3 3-4
Greens (chopped) 2-3 4-7
Leeks 2-3 3-4
Mixed vegetables 3-4 4-6
Okra 2-3 3-4
Onions (sliced) 2-3 3-4
Parsnips (chunks) 3-4 4-5
Peas (in the pod) 1-2 2-3
Peas (green) 1-2 2-3
Potatoes (cubed) 3-4 4-5
Baby potatoes (whole) 8 - 10 12 - 14
Large potatoes (whole) 12 - 15 15 - 19
 Pumpkin (small pieces) 2-3 4-5
Pumpkin (larges pieces) 8 - 10 10 - 14
Rutabaga (slices) 3-4 4-5
Rutabaga (chunks) 4-6 6-8
Spinach 1-2 3-4
Acorn squash (slices) 6-7 8 - 10
Butternut squash (slices) 4-6 6-8
Sweet Potato (cubes) 3-4 4-5
Sweet Potato Large (whole) 12 - 15 17 - 19
Sweet Potato Small (whole) 8 - 10 12 - 14
Sweet Pepper (slices or chunks) 1-3 2-4
Tomatoes (quarters) 2-3 4-5

Fruits

When steaming fruit, you will need 1 cup (250 mL) of water and an ovenproof or steel
bowl on a steam rack.

Fresh or dried fruits are best steamed to preserve the texture and taste as well as the
vitamins and minerals. Steaming also retains the natural look of the fruit. Cook fruit f
equal size and ripeness together.

FRESH DRIED
Fruits Cooking Time Cooking Time
(minutes) (minutes)
Apples (slices or pieces) 1-2 2-3
Apples (whole) 3-4 4-6
Apicot (whole or halves) 2-3 3-4
Peaches 2-3 4-5
Pears (whole) 3-4 4-6
Pears (slices or halves) 2-3 4-5
Plums 2-3 4-5
Raisins n/a 4-5